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In the deep, dark swamp waters of the Sunshine State, a months-in-the-making creature slithers through the murkiness in a quest to ravage another innocent victim.
Its clamping jaws are unforgiving. Its sharpened teeth are penetrating. And its hunger for wins is insatiable.
The Florida Gators — the Gomek of men’s college basketball — are about to chomp down on the competition.
On offense, Todd Golden’s group shines. Ranking No. 3 in BartTorvik’s BARTHAG over the last 30 days, the Gators have routinely rolled over their victims. During that stretch, they’re No. 3 in adjusted offensive efficiency and No. 35 in adjusted defensive efficiency.
Difficult to derail inside the arc (56.4 2PT%) and equally intimidating outside of it (35.5 3PT%), Vernon Maxwell U has supreme balance. Primary big Alex Condon is complemented beautifully by guards Walter Clayton Jr. (a viable Most Outstanding Player candidate) and Alijah Martin. Wings Thomas Haugh and Will Richard only amplify the collective prowess, while Rueben Chinyelu and Denzel Aberdeen provide important and indispensable depth.
Really, Florida owns no weaknesses. Most importantly, the Gators are fearless.
They’re an elite second-chance team, squeezing an offensive rebound on 38.1% of their possessions. On the defensive end, they’ve yielded only 45.9% shooting on 2-pointers and 29.6% on 3s. Their disruptive length and determination often frustrate the opposition.
Admittedly, Florida is a trendy and chalky national championship wager. Entering the NCAA Tournament on BetMGM, UF and Duke have the best odds at +350 of cutting down the nets at the Alamodome. The eye test and advanced data paint a very compelling picture.
Crank Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down,” DJ.
See ya in San Antonio, Gators.